Introduction to Education: Education 100
Donald Drouhard: ddrouhard@wooster.edu, ext. 2218
Fall 2008: MWF, 9-10:50 a.m.; TTH, 9:30-10:50 a.m.
Classrooms: Morgan 308
Office: Morgan 227
Home Phone: 330-345-3688

Office hours: 11:00 – 12:00 M – F, or you are welcome to schedule an appointment anytime.  I will be most happy to talk with you.

» Academic Catalogue Description

REQUIRED READING:

Kauchak, Donald and Eggen, Paul (third edition 2006).  Introduction to Teaching – Becoming a Professional.  New Jersey:  Pearson – Merrill – Prentice Hall

Powell, Rebecca. Straight Talk Growing As Multicultural Educators. NewYork: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc. 2001

Teacher Education at The College of Wooster, A Supplement to the Catalogue, Twenty-second Edition: 2007 – 2008

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Education 100 is designed to provide an introduction to education and the teaching profession.  This is accomplished by integrating class discussion, classroom teaching, various activities, and educational readings/reports with on-site work in local schools.  This two-pronged approach is intended to provide you with adequate experience and sufficient information to assess your level of commitment to teaching, as well as your strengths as potential educators.

This introductory course is set up to provide general information for you whether your interest lies in Early Childhood Licensure (ages 3-8), Adolescence to Young Adult Licensure (ages 12-21) and/or Multi-age Licensure (ages 3 – 21).  As an integral part of the Education 100 course, the Department of Education requires that you be actively involved in eight weeks of field experience.  This experience will be scheduled in the licensure area of your choice when possible.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MISSION STATEMENT:

The Department of Education provides opportunities for its students to learn and teach within a liberal arts environment that values independence, leadership, inquiry and tradition.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The content of this course has been designed to align with the following College of Wooster Department of Education Learning Outcomes:

1. As reflective practitioners, teacher candidate will demonstrate self-evaluation and reflection as they use a variety of curriculum models and instructional approaches.
2. As active researchers and independent thinkers, teacher candidates will develop and apply new understandings related to content and pedagogy as they encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving.
3. As knowledgeable instructors, teacher candidates will connect content preparation with pedagogy, and provide instruction based on current knowledge and an understanding of the development of the learner.
4. As autonomous decision makers, teacher candidates will demonstrate clear understanding of professional standards both in the classroom and within the broader professional community.
5. As effective and professional communicators, teacher candidates will write with coherence and clarity, speak clearly and professionally, and make content comprehensible to students.
6. As progressive educators, teacher candidates will use technologies to collect and analyze data and foster appropriate and innovative uses of instructional technologies.
7. As global leaders, teacher candidates will apply understanding of diverse learners to the implementation of effective strategies to meet the needs of students and their families. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of Education 100, as a teacher candidate, you should have:

Knowledge:

• To critically analyze historical and contemporary developments in basic education.
• To discuss the aims of education and the role of schools in society.
• To describe and analyze the social and political contexts of schools.
• To discuss various models of school organization and their applicability to contemporary schools.
• To describe the basic tenets of school finance.
• To critically assess the profession of teaching and its opportunities – current and future.

Skills:

• To apply leadership and group relations skills to various educational/classroom activities/situations.
• To apply teaching methods and skills explored in class to learning situations in local elementary/secondary schools.
• To synthesize the class and fieldwork in order to develop and defend in writing your personal philosophy of education.

Attitude/Values:

• To develop an appreciation of the contribution of all group members in completing learning activities.
• To determine your level of interest in and commitment to a career in teaching.
• To reflect upon and evaluate your class and field experience as a process to ascertain your potential as a teacher.
• To develop an understanding of the myriad aspects of the teaching/learning process.
• To understand and become sensitive to different learning styles among learners and how these differences influence learning.

Following the guidelines of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Standards for Teaching Licensure, and the Educational Testing Services (ETS) Praxis Domains, the Introductory course acquaints teacher candidates with:

• Creating Productive Learning Environments
• Curriculum Development and Accountability
• Providing Effective Instruction
• Helping Diverse Learners Succeed
• Professionalism
• Field and Clinical Experience

COURSE EXPECTATIONS:

A.  Attendance and Participation:

• Prompt and regular attendance in class and the field setting is expected.  Attendance will be kept daily.  If you must miss class, Department policy requires that you notify the instructor beforehand or it will be counted as an unexcused absence.   Any unexcused and/or excessive absences while in the classroom or in the field may negatively affect your final grade in the course.  Since Teacher Education is a professional program certified by the State of Ohio, two or more unexcused absences will result in provisional acceptance into the program.  For any absence to be considered excused, notification must be given to me prior to class. 

• Since you are working in a paraprofessional capacity, you are expected to notify your field supervisor and cooperating teacher if you are going to be absent.  This notification must also be prior to your expected arrival time at your field placement.

• Any contact made during or after the class/field experience time will be considered unexcused.

• Should there be a possibility of school closing due to inclement weather, you are advised to listen to one of the following radio stations:  WKVX: 60 am or WQKT: 104.5 fm or TV stations – Channel 3, 5 or 8.

B.  Completion of Assignments

• Due dates for all assignments are listed on the course calendar.  (See attached.)

• Assignments are due at the start of the class period and will be considered “late” if received thereafter.  Late work will be penalized.  Assignments will not be accepted after one week following the due date. 

• All students are expected to be active, present and engaged participants in all team assignments and at all meetings that teams may plan to work on team assignments.  You are expected to perform at your best at all times.  Some team behaviors which must be evidenced are:  active listening to all teammates; taking and accepting positive suggestions and/or constructive criticism; meeting out of class at appropriate times; and completing all team work as arranged. 

• All written assignments are to be typed in 12-point font and double-spaced.

• The final will not be accepted beyond the scheduled exam time.

C.  Academic Content Standards

• As you begin your Introductory course in preparation to become a professional educator, you are expected to become aware of the academic contents standards for your interested area of licensure as set forth by the Ohio Department of Education and/or your current state of residence.  It will be most helpful for you to refer to the ODE (Ohio Department of Education) standards as you present and complete various course assignments.  A copy of these standards may be located on the ODE website:  www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_ content_standards

D.  Professionalism

• Since you are working in a paraprofessional capacity in the elementary/secondary school setting, you are expected to fulfill the responsibilities of this position in a professional manner.  Prior to the field experience, you will be given specific guidelines and clearly defined expectations.  Please ask about anything of which you are unsure.

• Professionalism is demonstrated professional attributes including motivation, initiative, punctuality, appearance, appropriate language, lesson planning, etc. 

• Professionalism is as much an attitude as it is a mode of behavior and personal appearance.  A professional attitude is expected both in your field experience and in our class.

• You are expected to become familiar with Praxis II and the INTASC performance assessment criteria as found in your textbook. 

E.  Code of Academic Integrity:

• Students are expected to follow the Code of Academic Integrity outlined in the Scot’s Key and The Handbook of Selected College Policies (http://www.wooster.edu/policies).  Cheating is unprofessional and unacceptable behavior.  It will result in failure of the specific assignment or the course.

F.  Students with Disabilities: 

• In accordance with College procedure, the Learning Center offers a variety of services and accommodations to students with disabilities based on appropriate documentation, nature of disability, and academic need.  In order to initiate services, students should meet with the Director of the Learning Center, Pam Rose.  This should be done at the start of the semester to discuss reasonable accommodations.  You may contact the Learning Center at ext 2595 or through email prose@wooster.edu.  The Center can assist you in developing a plan to address your academic needs. 

FIELD AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES: 

Field Experience

A requirement for successful completion of Education 100 is participation in a public and/or private school classroom. This experience will be scheduled in the licensure area of your choice when possible.  This off campus experience is defined as a scene of practical work or observation outside the more formal college classroom setting.  This experience will constitute approximately eight weeks (50 hours) of experience working with students. 

An example of an Education 100 field placement for the early childhood licensure would be:  Weeks 4 – 11 (weeks may vary) of a semester:  Placement in a second grade classroom at Wayne Elementary   School - Monday and Wednesday 9:00 – 10:50 and Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 – 10:50.

During this experience, you will be expected to assist your cooperating teacher in a number of ways.  Examples of appropriate activities include: (a) tutoring individual children or small groups, (b) leading small groups in instructional activities, (c) leading the entire class in an activity, (d) assisting students at the computer or teaching a computer lesson, (e) observing in your assigned classroom and another classroom, (f) designing and implementing learning materials and/or (g) grading papers. 

Clinical Experience

A requirement for successful completion of Education 100 is participation in a series of clinical experiences within the college classroom throughout the semester.  “Clinical experience” is defined as observation, training, and experiences in the college classroom which may directly involve discussion, group activities, and/or evaluations.  These activities will constitute approximately 25 hours of clinical experience.

All clinical and field hours must be documented using the electronic time sheets available at
www.wooster.edu/education.

VII.  COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:                         
        (Descriptions and grading rubrics will be distributed throughout the semester.)

All of your assignments will be given points.  All work must meet the highest level of quality to be given the maximum number of points.  If at anytime throughout the semester you are unsure of your grade or want clarification, please do not hesitate to ask.  Assignments will be evaluated using a specific rubric. 

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS:

• Article Review:  You are required to visit the library to locate one journal or professional magazine article that addresses your area of interest in teaching.  You may also research electronically.  A one page only summary is then required which reflects the following: source, title and author; general summary of main points; findings related to teaching in your preferred licensure area and your critique as related to the particular audience for whom it was written.  This can be emailed to me prior to the 9:00 or 9:30 class time on the day due, or the reflection can be handed in at the start of class time.
• Field Artifacts Presentation:  Each Friday while you are in field, you will have the opportunity to share experiences from your week.  You will be professionally responsible to share orally on three different occasions throughout the eight-week period.
• Field Lesson Plan/Reflection:  This is to be a written reflection of the lesson that you are required to teach during your eight-week field experience.  The large group lesson that you present must include a written lesson plan - your supervising teacher must approve both the lesson and the lesson plan.  On the day of the presentation, a copy of the written plan must be given to your college supervisor.  The reflective paper must include: a) your lesson plan, b) the resources you drew from to plan the lesson, c) the learners’ entry characteristics, d) a detailed explanation of your instructional objective(s), e) how you met the ability levels of your diverse learners, f) the progression of the activity, and g) what changes you would make to improve the lesson when teaching it again. 
• Philosophy Teaching:  At the conclusion of your field experience, you will be required to “micro teach” a team lesson as your particular philosophy relates to teaching today.  This will be a final culmination of the many teaching strategies, learning techniques, curriculum requirements and standards that you experienced throughout your eight weeks of field.  This should provide the teaching team an opportunity to demonstrate the comprehensive understanding gained throughout the semester.
• Weekly Time Sheets:  Each week you will be responsible for submitting a Weekly Time Sheet electronically.  This weekly sheet will be due prior to 9:00 a.m. on Monday.  Weekly time sheets are available at www.wooster.edu/education.  On the due date indicated in the course calendar, you will be responsible for submitting ALL time sheets in proper sequence.
• Electronic Portfolio:  Your portfolio will be a working portfolio intended to help you evaluate your choice of teaching as a career.  The entries required are listed under the PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT.
• Integrated Final:  Your Integrated Final is a complete and updated formal

e-portfolio meeting the specific requirements stated in your syllabus.

Assignments required but not considered to be a part of your academic grade for this course are:

• Individual/Co-teaching Lesson:  Prior to your eight-week field experience, you will be responsible for teaching one individual lesson or will be asked to work with another student to “micro-teach.” an academic area of your choice.  The purpose of this activity is to give you teaching experience prior to entering a public/parochial/private classroom.  This will not be a graded activity
• Personal Educational Philosophy:  A personal two page Philosophy of Education is one requirement for admission into the Department of Education program.  Guidelines and the rubric will be given to you in writing prior to the due date.   This is not a graded assignment but is a rubric-assessed assignment related to formal application into the Teacher Education Program.

GRADING:

Assessment will be provided using a variety of activities/projects.  The following percentages can be used as a guide to determine your letter grade:

THE PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT

The Foundations 100 e-Portfolio requirement is intended to help you evaluate your choice of teaching as a career.   It serves as a working portfolio.   This working portfolio can help you develop a professional one that will become a part of your upper level courses and subsequent job search.  For this class, your “working” portfolio must include the following required entries:

Required:

• Home page with a professional picture along with your anticipated licensure area

• “Resume”  - your professional resume
• One prepared lesson/lesson plan as related to one Learning Outcome
• A personal “Philosophy of Education”

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Bendtro, L., Brokenleg, M., Van Bockern, S. (1990) Reclaiming Youth At Risk: Our Hope For the Future, Bloomington, IN: National Education Service.

Brown v. Board of Education. (1954) 347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+) from website: http://www.nps.gov/brvb/pages/decision54.htm

Comer. J.P. (1998) Magie’s American Dream, New York: New American Library.

Gardner, H.  (1993) Multiple Intelligences: the Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books.

Haberman, M. (1995) StarTteachers of Children in Poverty, West Lafayette, IN: Kappa Delta Pi.

U.S. Department of Education. (2002) No Child left behind act. Washington, D.C.: Author. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?scr=ln(more specific sites will be specified)

Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, Jay, Understanding By Design.   Alexandria, VA. 1998.

AVAILABLE WEB SITES

National Education Association – Provides information and support for teachers

American Federation of Teachers – Provides information and support for teachers

Ohio Department of Education (ODE) – Information and statistics about Ohio schools